Monday, February 27, 2006

02/26 ME Bench-More from the Shirt

Bench Press 95x5, 135x5, 185x3, 225x3, 275x3, Put on shirt 275x1, 315x1, 345x1, 365xMiss, 355x1PR, 360xMiss, Took off shirt and did 315x3PR of sorts....
JM Press 225x4x6
KB Front Raise 25x3x10
Band Pull Aparts Minix3x12

Decent night, still learning that friggin shirt. I keep finding myself forgetting to do certain things like flaring my lats, driving my legs, burying the traps, etc......if its not one thing its another. One of these days i'll get all facets firing at the same time and put up some good weight. Til then i just gotta keep practicing. The 365 came out of the groove, had no leg drive and overall was quite poor, so i dropped the weight to 355 and nailed that pretty easy so i decided to split the difference and try 360(see 365 results and repeat).....by this time i was pretty beat so i decided to take off the shirt and do 315x3 which i have never done before, granted i have never tried for 3 with 315 before either, stength levels were never quite there. So overall i was happy with the benching, i was hoping for more but arent we all?!!....so on to JM Presses,i decided to try these again after watching my Westside Videos and seeing the correct way to do these and yes now i definitely feel them in my triceps, so i guess i'll leave them in for next week as well....Another week down, gonna start looking for a meet for the May/June timeframe and get a plan together...until next time, Keep it Dark, Keep it Heavy!!

Friday, February 24, 2006

02/24 ME DL

Deadlift 260x5, 315x3, 365x2, 415x2, 475x1, 505x1PR
Down-Set DL's 455x3x1
Box Jumps BWx4x6
KB Swing Throughs (Single-Arm) 63x4x6

Not too bad of a night, just one of those days where i was expecting more but things just didnt unfold like i would have liked. Do you ever get that feeling when your at work, you feel like you could shatter any PR set in front of you only to finally get to work out time and feel tapped? Today was one of those days. I'm still glad i got the PR but i was expecting more, especially around 10:30 this morning when i felt invincible, oh well, such is life.....The 505 went pretty easy but i left it there as i really didnt have much left in the tank, so to get some more time in at lifts 90% or better i opted for the downsets of singles. Every single one of the heavier sets fought me all the way, pains in the arse i tell you...those box jumps were killer as well, felt explosive but those things suck after heavy deads, my body felt all tightened up like a piece of drift wood but definitely loosened up a bit after those. Im not quite sure of the height, it was just my box squat box with a bunch of rubber mats under it, i guess anything is high when your 5'7", fucking stump.......The swing throughs are nice though, definitely felt them in the posterior and they are doing wonders for my traps, this is helping alot with getting a nice platform to set the bar on for Squats, all around a great exercise, highly recommended....well that is it for tonight, time to put the little crumbsnatcher to bed and get some reading in, never thought i would say that on a friday night until i became a father, how the priorities change!!!!

Wednesday, February 22, 2006

02/22 DE Bench

Speed Bench w/Chains 170x8x3
#8 Pin Press 315x4x6
Barbell Bent Row 185x4x10
KB Side Raise 20x4x6

Had a pretty good night, it started with a teleconference i got to listen in on with Charles Staley interviewing Dave Tate (entered into a pseudo-random-raffle-thingy on t-nation and got it). This lasted around 45 minutes and was pretty inspiring. I was psyched as these two guys are but two of my idols in the strength arena. Anyway, the Speed Bench was just as it suggests, fast. I received my elbow sleeves today from elitefts so these kept my bicipital tendonitis within check (still slight tingles but 95% better than before). The rest of the workout was on the fly decisions as i wasnt sure how the old elbow would feel. The Pin Presses probably could have been heavier but again, i didnt want to push it. The Bent Rows felt good considering i hadnt done them in a couple of months, the form didnt deteriorate either so i was really happy with that...Well its getting late and i also received my copy of Mel Siff's Supertraining so i want to get some reading in, so until next time.....Eat at Joes

Monday, February 20, 2006

02/20 DE Squat

DE Box Squat 205x8x2
Pull Through's 100x3x12
Stand Crunches 50x3x12
Side Bends 50x3x12

This was a shorter workout, i really focused on my form on the squat. After reading up i figured out what my bicep pain is, bicipital tenodonitis caused from gripping the bar too narrow on the squat. Remedy is to take a wide grip and warm up the joint prior to working out, it is also recommended to wear elbow sleeves that will keep the joints warm. I put some icy hot on it tonight and am relatively pain free so i am quite happy with the wide grip already. It does take some getting used too, the bar feels like it wants to fall off my shoulders, although the wider grip did allow for me to create a better groove to place the bar in, the shoulder baldes were fully retracted which caused i nice little bar holder...i ordered some sleeves off elitefts which shuld come in this week along with my coc #2's which is another story(i want to close the #3's by summer)....anyway thats about it for tonight, l8r days willie mays............

02/18 ME Bench

3 Board Press 200x5, 225x3, 275x2, 315x1, 365x1, 385x1, 405x1
Bench Press 275x5x3
Lat Pulldown 110x2x15
Front KB Swing 25x2x15

Originally i thought i was gonna break a PR on the 3 Board but soon realized i better back off a bit this week so i stopped at 405 and did some down sets on full range Bench Press. I was still quite spent from the Box Squatting fiesta from the other day....i've been so fried that it took me a couple days just to post this, i aint done nothing but lay around and watch tv like a lazy bassturd, oh well. got the DE Squat tonight and am psyched to get back at it......l8r

Friday, February 17, 2006

02/16 ME Squat

11" Box Squat 135x5, 225x3, 275x2, 315x1, 365x1, 405x1, 420x1PR, 430x1PR
SLDL's 295x5x3
DB Lunges (2) 50lbs DB'sx3x10
TKE's Mini Bandx3x8

This night went way better than i expected, i've been working on my hip flexibilty and kind of felt like i overdid it the night before, still had some residual soreness from stretching. I got to the 405 on Box Squats and nearly missed it as i got out of the groove. I was about ready to give up when i thought about a story i read about Chuck Vogelpohl where he once missed a weight and said fuck it, add more weight and nailed the lift. So, feeling inspired i went for the weight i missed 2 weeks ago and really concentrated on my form, specifically the pushing out against the belt and nailed the sucker with plenty in the tank so it was decided to go for more. The 430 was a bit harder as my form wasnt the best, about half way up i rounded a bit but still got it. I was contemplating going up to 440 since i nailed 430 with bad form but decided to leave it there. I was pretty psyched as last time i bombed on this sucker and was pretty disappointed in myself. So im pretty happy now. the rest f the workout was pretty grueling as i was quite gassed. The TKE's were a last second addition, i felt these suckers the next day though, my quads are burning like hell so i guess i'll be keeping this movement around and hopefully keep my knees in check. Anyway, thats about it, now its time to recover as i am quite sore today. Keep it Dark, Keep it Heavy!!!

Wednesday, February 15, 2006

02/14 DE Bench-Shirt Work

DE Bench Press 175x8x3
Shirt 275x1, 315x3x1, 335x1
DB Tricep Extension 55x3x8
CSR 110x3x8
KB Side Swings 25x3x8

Speed Bench went well, am getting a good groove for the set up and seem to be getting max force on these, i may start using higher percentages in the future. The shirt work felt much better today than the first outing, i was a little more patient with it and worked on filling out the short more (flaring lats and retracting shoulder blades) which definitely gave it more pop in the bottom. I used a slightly wider hand grip (ring finger on rings) as opposed to my normal pinky on the rings to help spread the shirt a bit better. Took it easy on the weights as my timing with the leg drive and other aspects of the form just arent there yet, but im glad i learned the most important aspect of this sucker, Patience!! Shirts are truly an art and acquired skill, contrary to what i previously thought. The hardest part i seem to be having with training is holding myself back so i dont overtrain. Part of me wanted to keep on trucking with the shirt work til i reached failure but luckily the better part of me won out so i didnt drive myself into the dirt. Its just a weird feeling i get every now and then where i feel im not doing everything i should be and feel i am missing out on something. I guess when the totals stagnate or decrease is when i should truly give that train of thought a better look. Doesnt pay to be one of those people that wants shit done yesterday and has the patience of gnat. (couldnt think of something with low patience threshold so that stays) Anyway, enough pissin and moanin, back to work..............

Tuesday, February 14, 2006

02/13 Stretching/Retaliation

20 Minutes of stretching the Hams, Hips, and that general region.
Recuperative Hammer Curls 25x3x15
Band Good Mornings Avg Band 3x15
Avg Standing Crunches 3x15


As stated in the title, the purpose of this extra workout was retaliation for my back tightening up like a muther fahq'er. I stretched my lower body for like 20 minutes, actually broke a sweat from it. During that time it became quite evident that my posterior chain is tight as all hell. Later i find out this is quite common for lifters that have not previously put much focus on their posterior. While strengthening that area and adding muscle the lifter forgets that he must maintain flexibilty in that region, guess what? I was that knucklehead, the part that pisses me off is i know better, i figured the low box squats would suffice for the stretch required but i was wrong. In typical fashion i wait til things manifest themselves fully before i fix em, again lesson learned.....enough of that rant, you get the picture, i got tight hips, whoop dee doo, now go fix it..........til next time, get yer finger out of yer nose!!!

Monday, February 13, 2006

02/11 DE Squat

Box Squat 205x8x2
Dimel DL's 225x3x8
EDT 6 Minute PR Zone
GHR (Stab. Ball)BWx5x5
BB Calf Raises 225x5x5

Shit day, lower back tightened up big time during the box squats, thought i had gotten rid of this shit, back to stretching again. The weight still moved pretty fast considering. The tightness made the rest of the workout a pain in the ass but i stuck it out. I think next time i will walk on the Treadmill for a few minutes to warm up a bit better......thats it for now, oh yeah Snow Sucks!!!

Saturday, February 11, 2006

02/10 2nd Part of ME Bench

Standing Military Press 45x5, 95x5, 135x5, 155x3, 183x2x3, 195x3
Partial Lat Pull-Up's bwx3x8
KB Alt. Row 90x4x6
Tricep Pushdown 100x4x6
KB Hammer Curl 25x3x8

This was what i would have done on the normal night had i not taken so long with the shirt. The Military presses were alright, i was gonna go up to 205 for 3 but held back a bit, feelng a bit sore from the first night. The Partial Pull up idea i got from an EliteFTS article for improving bench. This excercise is a partial movement that is done by using the lats only to raise the body, the range of motion was around10 inches. Felt like i had wings when i was done, this thing hurt. The Alternating KB rows are one of my new favorite movements, these friggin things are one of the better investments i have made for excercise equipment, my shoulders are feeling the best they have in a long time.....that about it for today, now im off to read up on bench shirts and how to get the most out of them.....till next time, keep it dark, keep it hevy!!

Friday, February 10, 2006

02/09 New Shirt Work and Raw PR

Raw Until Noted
Barx5, 95x5, 135x5, 185x3, 225x2, 275x1, 315x1, 345x1PR
Shirt Work
275x3x1, 315x2x1, 335x1, 355xMiss

Well i really should have worked the shirt more but i figured if im gonna blow a ME day on testing shit im gonna PR first!!! I basically decided to try for the bench PR after the workout got underway, i was feeling pretty good and went for it and struggled a bit but got the fucker up, psyched as all hell but i think this had its drawbacks when the shirt came into play. Mentally i was beat and the friggin bicep issue was slowly creeping back so i was a little less than enthused to do the shirt but i had a go anyway. This sucker is way different than how i would normally bench. I found that my timing was off with the shirt as far as leg drive. The 335 went up with no leg drive, like a friggin putz i lifted my feet off the ground like i used to years ago when attempting a max load, what the fuck was that? CNS maybe? i dont know, pissed me off though, then came the 355 which i was figuring would go up easy but instead came out of the groove and dropped like a lead turd. Oh well, this wasnt the smartest training session in the world, i should have chose one or the other, Raw or shirted, not both......With that behind me i have formulated a plan to hopefully learn the shirted bench and get a hell of a lot more carryover than i got today which was none!
Since the bicep started nagging again i decided to save the Accesoory and Supplemental portion of the night and do them today.
I'm quite confident that after i dedicate some time, do some reading, and get under the fucking bar i will master this shirt and end up with a decent carryover, here's to positive thinking!!!!

Thursday, February 09, 2006

02/08 ME Squat/DL

Suspended Good Mornings 45x5, 135x5, 185x3, 225x3, 275x3, 315x3, 325x3PR
Deadlifts (Sumo) 405x4x3
Over and Unders (Hip Mobility) BWx4x5

Today was supposed to be ME Bench but my shirt comes in thursday so i just swapped the days.
Tonight was a good night, i was psyched up to get in there all day after surfing the web and seeing all kinds of inspirational articles. For some reason i kept getting back to DL articles while surfing so i added them in today at the last second. The Good Mornings went well and i felt strong, promised myself if i beat the previous workouts weight i would just straight to DL's so after the 325 thats what i did. The first set i made way too hard on myself by not popping it off the ground and second guessing myself as to whether i should have ditched the DL's after heavy GM's or not, that thought quickly subsided after the first rep i got mad at myself and blew the other ones away. All DL work was done with an eye to Dynamic Effort, i kept the weight submaximal and really focused on speed. Part of me wishes i would have went with the DL for the ME movement as i was wanting to do them all day but since i havent been doing GM's all that long (a little over a month) i figure i better not stray too far from the original plan.
I've been feeling lately like i need to pull more so im gonna start doing various forms of the DL in the same fashion as tonight so long as the body dictates it, if my CNS starts to take a hit i will back off, but i really feel more heavy pulling will help me overall..........well thats it for now, now i just gotta wait for that friggin shirt to come in today and get some shit done on bench tonight, hopefully there wont be any sizing issues for me and they get the damned singlet right for the fifth and final time, i swear if Inzer gets my order right this time i will never go through them to acquire any of their gear again. How sad is that, you would rather go through a third party to acquire a company's product rather than deal with them directly, that speaks volumes!!!..........

Tuesday, February 07, 2006

Extra Workout-Lower Body Emphasis

Mobility Stretching-5 Minutes
Box Jumps bwx4x10
KB Swing Thru's 55x4x10
Hanging Leg Raises BWx4x10

This was just a quick feeder type of workout for the lower body. I just basically wanted to get in some Dynamic Stretching and some explosive movements for the lower body to get some blood in there. Nothing too fancy, total duration of the workout was around 20 minutes. All excercises were done with only 20 seconds rest between each other.

Monday, February 06, 2006

02/05 DE Squat

Dynamic Box Squat 205x8x2
Dimel DL's 225x4x6
EDT 6 Minute PR Zone
GHR (utilizing Stability Ball on a Bench) BWx5x6
BB Calf Raises 225x5x6

Not bad of a day, i used it more for technique work, im currently in the process of taking a wider stance in the squat so i've been gradually widening the stance over the last couple of workouts. I've been implementing some hip-mobility stretching that i lifted from T-Nation's article "Get Your Butt In Gear" by Eric Cressey. Its apparently working as now i can take a pretty wide stance without much form degradation or feeling of extreme tightness in the groin. Now i just gotta work it hard to keep my shoulder from rounding over and get the weights up......well thats about it, oh yeah i watched the superbowl, not much fun without the patriots in it but at least its football..........

02/04 Strikes

nothing too fancy, just struck the various bags and ran on the incline treadmil for around 20 minutes............

Friday, February 03, 2006

02/03 DE Bench

Dynamic Bench Press 170x8x3
DB Tricep Ext 55x4x6
6 Minute EDT PR Zone
Chest Supported Rows(on Low Pulley) 100x5x5
DB Overhead Press 55x5x5

Not too bad a day, the bench presses were nice and fast. The DB ext were giving me a bit of trouble as last night i pulled something in my left bicep, i have absolutely no idea what i did but it friggin killed me. I actually broke out an ice pack after the workout. The CSR's and DB overhead press were way too light so i figure next time i will raise the weight. The weird thing about the bicep (lower insertion) thing was that it didnt hurt while doing the excercises, just excruciating in between sets and afterward, guess we'll see how that pans out. I have a few days for it to recover before it gets hit again, im not overly concerned at this point as the weights werent affected. Well thats it for now, gotta go play X-Men action figures with my son, i get to be Wolverine, Yes!!!!........

Wednesday, February 01, 2006

02/01 ME Squat

11" Box Squat 200x5, 240x3, 280x2, 320x1, 365x1, 405x1, 420xmissed PR Attempt, 365x1, 315x3x2
KB Swing Thru's 95x4x8

Workout got cut short due to my son waking from his slumber. I was a little disappointed with the PR Miss, I dont think my mind was totally into it, and to boot the last time I did a ME on this movement was back on November 11. But fear not, i will get another crack at this sucker in two weeks. I fought with that friggin 420 for a good 10 seconds before giving in so i definitely got some strain in. and of course to comply with prilepin i went down to 365 for 1 and then 315 for two sets of 3 because i felt like such a pussy for missing the 420. KB swing thru's werent too bad, performed these with two hands in case anybody was wondering. tomorrow i will do some sort of active recovery for the lower body as i suspect i will be pretty sore. Those friggin 315 sets were bitches after the other shit....as i type this now i feel better about the workout, while i was doing it i was feeling disappointed like i wasnt performing enough work. Guess there cant be PR's everyday otherwise the world would be full of Elite lifters........

01/30 KB Recovery

I just loaded 15lb on the handles and did various swings for 15 minutes for active recovery from the benching yesterday. Basically did side swings, clean and presses, front raise, side raise and then round the torso all in random order for the 15 minutes, non-stop. This got the blood flowing and the heart rate up but thats about it......oh well, gotta go scram and finish up my essays for my cert......